Metropolitan districts are local governments that finance public improvements and provide services to promote the health, safety, prosperity, security, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the districts and the people of the state of Colorado. Metropolitan districts fill the gaps that may exist in services that other local governments will not provide, and the services residents may desire. Wheatlands Metropolitan District (the “District”) provides the following improvements and services: parks and recreation improvements, monumentation improvements, operations and maintenance services of the same, and covenant enforcement and design review services.
Pursuant to the District’s Amended and Restated Service Plan, approved by the City of Aurora on August 30, 2004, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Amended and Restated Service Plan approved on August 24, 2015 (the “Service Plan”), the District is authorized to issue debt not to exceed $85,000,000 and impose a maximum debt mill levy of 50 mills, subject to adjustment, as defined in the Service Plan, for repayment of such debt. The Service Plan authorizes the repayment of debt from the following sources: ad valorem taxes and other sources permitted by law, including fees, rates, tolls, penalties and charges.
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) governs the District. Board members are elected for four-year terms. During election years, the District must provide the Call for Nominations to the electors of the District noting the Board seats up for election. If an owner or resident would like to run for a Board seat up for election, he or she must submit a self-nomination form to the Designated Election Official by the applicable deadline as provided in the Call for Nominations. When a vacancy occurs on the Board between elections, an owner or resident may contact the District in which he or she resides and request to submit a letter of interest to be appointed to the Board. When an individual is appointed to the Board, the term for that appointment runs to the next regular election.
To qualify as a director of a district, a person must be an “eligible elector” which is defined as a registered voter of Colorado and either: (1) a resident of the District, or (2) the owner (or the spouse or civil union partner of the owner) of taxable real or personal property located within the District. A person who is under contract to purchase taxable property and is obligated to pay taxes prior to closing is also considered an “owner.”
The District files its annual report for the prior year with the City of Aurora.
The following governmental entities overlap the District’s boundaries:
- Cherry Creek School District 5
- Arapahoe County
- Developmental Disability
- City Of Aurora
- Regional Transportation
- Urban Drainage & Flood
- Urban Drainage & Flood (S Platte)
- W. Arapahoe Conservation District
For questions or concerns about the District during regular business hours, please contact: Isabell Rodau at (720) 524-2763.
The following process is in place for matters of an emergent nature, which is defined as urgent matters that require prompt attention and cannot wait until regular business hours due to the potential to affect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and property owners in the District or the integrity of the public improvements owned, operated, or maintained by the District. Matters of an emergent nature do NOT include emergencies, which should be directed to the appropriate emergency personnel by contacting 9-1-1, or matters which can wait until regular business hours, which should be addressed via the above contact information.
For questions or concerns involving an emergent matter about the District outside regular business hours or when district personnel are otherwise unavailable, please contact: WBA, PC at (303) 858-1800.